Bronze cauldrons of the Scythian time are rare in the Northern Black Sea region, especially on its western borders. Therefore, those few items found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova occupy a worthy place in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM). In particular, in the archaeological exhibition, two bronze cauldrons are displayed, discovered near the village of Nicolscoe in 1988 in burial mounds no. 14 and 15. In addition, in 2020, two bronze cauldrons without any accompanying documents were found in the collection of NMHM; however, they were visually identified as coming from various excavations in the Low Dniester region, such as burial mound no. 45 near Dubăsari and burial mound no. 1 near the Răscăieții Noi village.
The object presented as the exhibit of the month is a little-known find discovered in 1979 in barrow 1 near the village of Răscăieții Noi in the Ștefan Vodă district. In addition to its outstanding size (about 10 m high), this mound is known for discovering a cast bronze finial in the Scythian animal style on its surface in 1953. However, by the beginning of excavations, the locals had damaged part of the mound and a Scythian cast bronze cauldron was found near it. The cauldron was seriously damaged by mechanical impact, as a result of which the rim was deformed, and the walls, with one preserved vertical handle, were bent inwards. Fragments in the upper part of the body and one handle have been lost. The total reconstructed height of the cauldron is 24 cm (excluding the handles), the reconstructed diameter of the hemispherical cauldron is 30 cm, and the weight is 6.5 kg. In 2020, data on the chemical composition of the bronze cauldron alloy were obtained, revealing that it was cast from an alloy of almost 95 per cent copper. Unfortunately, due to the loss of information on the context of the discovery of the cauldron at Răscăieții Noi, it is impossible to link its discovery with one or another Scythian burial of the barrow. Moreover, the grave goods of other Scythian burials of Barrow 1 do not allow them to date below the 4th century BC. However, the cauldron with vertical handles from Răscăieții Noi most likely belongs earlier. This may be indicated by a bronze finial from the first half of the 5th century BC, which was found on this barrow in 1953. In addition, burial 7 from the nearest excavated barrow 2 at Răscăieții Noi, containing a plaque depicting a rolled predator (a copy of which is also on display at the NMHM), belongs to the mid- 5th century BC. Thus, there is a high probability that the cauldron from Barrow 1 at Răscăieții Noi is associated with the late Middle Scythian period or the mid-5th century BC.
Scythian bronze cauldrons in the west area are concentrated in three main regions: Bukovina-Podolia, the Lower Danube, and the Lower Dniester. Some Scythian cauldrons have no reliable archaeological context. Nevertheless, in combination with the same "stray" finds like the Scythian statues, the finds of Scythian cauldrons mark the Scythian presence, most likely not earlier than the late 6th century or even the turn of the 6th-5th centuries BC. The cauldrons first appeared in Bukovina, where they have been known since the middle of the 7th century BC. Bronze cauldrons (with their carriers) entered the steppe region 150-200 years later, and the "military" burials that appeared in the western steppe regions were no earlier than the middle of the 5th century BC. Most burials with cauldrons (and, apparently, the stray finds) are dated back to the second half of the 5th century BC. Then, in the early 4th century BC, their quantity was reduced, and after the first quarter of the 4th century BC, they completely disappeared from the cultural practice of the population of the steppes of the North-Western Black Sea region.
On the question of competence of the Supreme Council of Bessarabian Oblast (August 28, 1816 - February 29, 1828)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Keywords: Bessarabia, the Charter on the Formation of the Bessarabian Oblast, the Supreme Council of the Bessarabian Oblast, the government of the Bessarabian Oblast, the civil governor, Viceroy (Namestnik) of the Bessarabian Oblast with plenipotentiary powers, Governor-General of New Russia and Bessarabia, Bessarabian Regional Criminal Court, Bessarabian Regional Civil Court.
Abstract: The Supreme Council of the Bessarabian Oblast as the supreme legislative, administrative and judicial authority of Bessarabia was formed from among the members of the two departments of the regional government on August 28, 1816, reorganized (in the source - established) on April 29, 1818 and authorized to carry out the organizational, administrative, economic, and judicial functions.
After the Charter on the Formation of the Bessarabian Oblast was adopted on April 29, 1918, the administrative and judicial power in the region was held by the Supreme Council. Its competence includes monitoring and verification of all matters relating to decision-making in the executive, public and economic spheres, criminal and procedural affairs, and civil law; it was as well involved in all matters relating to movable, immovable, and land property. Its decisions, being approved by a majority vote, were not subject to appellate review and implemented immediately. Those who did not agree with a decision of the Supreme Council could appeal against this decision to the State Council through the Minister of Justice or the General Prosecutor.
The decisions of special importance, which required further amendments or new resolutions, were considered at the general meeting of the Supreme Council on the proposal of the Governor-General, or, in his absence, the civil governor. The amendments were to be submitted for approval to the State Council by the Governor-General or the General Prosecutor.
The Supreme Council consisted of 11 members: five members appointed (Namestnik (who held the office of President), the Governor, Deputy Governor, presidents of criminal and civil courts) and six members elected by the local nobility for a period of 3 years, whose appointment was to be confirmed by the Namestnic of Bessarabia and the regional marshal of the nobility. The Supreme Council Decisions were approved by a quorum of 6 people and were final.
The Supreme Council included: the Namestnik of Bessarabia (who held the office of President) - Lieutenant-Genral M.S. Vorontsov; the civil governor - the official of 4th grade Catacazi; deputy governor - the official of 5th grade Krupensky; the regional marshal of the nobility - the official of 6th grade Sturdza; the president of criminal court - the official of 5th grade Kurik; the president of the civil court - the official of 6th grade Basota as well as 4 deputes: officials of 11th grade Katargi and Donici, the official of 7th grade Pruncul, and the official of 6th grade Kazimir.
Particularly important issues and matters relating to changes to the normative acts were considered at plenary meetings of the Supreme Council, on the proposal of the Namestnik of Bessarabia, or, in his absence, on the proposal of the civil governor. Taken decisions, accompanied by an explanatory note of the President of the Council, through the General Prosecutor, were dispatched for the approval to the State Council. If the discussed issues were of minor importance, the presence of the President of the Supreme Council at the meetings was not mandatory. In the absence of the President, the Supreme Council presidency was taken over by the person who held the highest office in the administrative hierarchy of Bessarabia.
The Supreme Council of Bessarabia was abolished by the Regulation of February 29, 1828.
Valentin Tomuleț
The protests and the revindications of the Bessarabian people in the first decades after the annexation of the territories between the Prut and Dniester rivers to Russia (years 1812-1828)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Mazili and ruptași (and other social categories) in the statistics of the 1817 census
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Maria Danilov, Cenzura sinodală și cartea religioasă în Basarabia. 1812-1918 (între tradiție și politica țaristă), Biblioteca Tyragetia XIII. – Chișinău, 2007 (Tipogr. „Bons Offi ces”), 264 p.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Peasant unrest in the village of Tabani, Khotyn Uyezd in connection with the agrarian reform of 1868
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Taxation of the mazili and ruptași social categories in Bessarabia under the Tsarist domination (1812-1847)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Bronze cauldrons of the Scythian time are rare in the Northern Black Sea region, especially on its western borders. Therefore, those few items found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova occupy a worthy place in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM)...
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
